Peterborough Environment City Trust’s two week Green Festival, which ended on Sunday, has been the most successful one yet according to organisers from the green charity.
The Green Festival has been running for 18 years and according to Janine Starling from PECT this year has been the most successful in terms of the number of local people attending events throughout the fortnight.
Janine said: “The launch day on Saturday 23rd May had a fantastic buzz and there were definitely more people attending than we have had in previous years. I think this was down to the fact that we had some great activities for the whole family to enjoy, and the entertainment with the junk band was superb. The sunny weather helped too!”
Janine continued, “We also noticed more people getting involved in the events throughout the Green Festival fortnight such as the swish clothes swap, the cycle race, and the eco-fashion show in Queensgate. There were around 500 people at the grand finale summer party organised by Riverford Organic Veg at Sacrewell Farm on Sunday, despite the rain!”
PECT carried out surveys throughout the Festival with people that had attended, responses included:
“The whole family had an amazing time”, “Enjoyed it all would like to see more events like this” and, “Good range of family activities to enjoy and good ideas on how we can improve our green-ness.”
When asked which part of the Festival they had least enjoyed, one attendee responded “that it doesn’t go on longer.”
Event organisers are now seeking ideas for the theme of next years Green Festival which will launch on Saturday 22nd May 2010.
The theme in 2008 was ‘get a green grip’ where reusable carrier bags were given out to cut the number of plastic bags in the city. This year the theme was grow it, cook it, eat it, focussing on healthy eating, growing your own food and supporting local farmers.
If you have an idea for the theme of the Green Festival in 2010 send it over to the team at PECT by emailing janine.starling@pect.net or calling 01733 866439.
Monday, 15 June 2009
Friday, 5 June 2009
Screening of the Age of Stupid, Tues 2nd June
Earlier this week we screened climate change film the Age of Stupid, around 90 local people turned out to see it which is great!
Below is the review I wrote for my weekly column in the Evening Telegraph, Shades of Green...(it's in the ET every Saturday in the Life section).
This week Peterborough Environment City Trust screened climate change film the Age of Stupid as part of the Green Festival. It stars Pete Postlethwaite as a man living alone in the devastated future world of 2055, looking at old footage of 2008 and asking: why didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance? The film follows the stories of six people around the world and reveals how the effects of climate link them all.
A pitifully poor Nigerian woman is juxtaposed with a fifty year old American man enjoying the benefits of a gluttonous oil company salary: early retirement. She is shown fishing, working to pay for the medical degree she so desperately wants. Her meagre catch (two under-sized fish) is the effect of oil spilt in the river. An ongoing problem which Shell hasn’t bothered to sort out despite enjoying billion dollar profits from Nigerian oil. Meanwhile our cheerful early retiree relaxes in his boat with a beer, catching an abundance of large fish which he releases back into the water; his freezer is fully stocked with supermarket bought fish.
Oil is a finite resource which will only last for around 40 more years. Nevertheless, the oil business is set to gain enormously if we keep consuming rapidly rather than looking for alternative ways to power our world. You can’t help but cringe when the camera catches one Shell employee describing the moment you strike oil, “you can smell it straight away and it smells so much like money it’s delicious.”
The film highlights the vested interest that world leaders (particularly in America) have in oil. Why are American cities designed so it’s impossible to get around without a car? Why was investment in electric cars scrapped? Why where railway lines across the US torn up?
My favourite bit of the film was annoying wind farm woman. So determined not to have a wind-farm built where it might spoil her view that she rallied a team of equally annoying cohorts to oppose the turbines. When asked why she didn’t want the wind-farm she responded ‘this is one of the least windy parts of the country’. Cue film-makers gleefully cutting to an earlier scene where she raises concerns that it will be too windy to put up their protest air balloon.
After the wind-farm is rejected by the local council she is asked whether she thinks climate change is an important issue, “Yes of course it is; it has to be the most important issue we face. I try to do my bit.”
The film left me feeling awed by how huge the problem we face is. But also inspired that my efforts to be green do make a difference. It’s frustrating that whilst less than 1% of scientists doubt that climate change is a result of human activity, 60% of the general public STILL think climate change could just be a big myth. It’s time we all worked together, many hands make light work.
A pitifully poor Nigerian woman is juxtaposed with a fifty year old American man enjoying the benefits of a gluttonous oil company salary: early retirement. She is shown fishing, working to pay for the medical degree she so desperately wants. Her meagre catch (two under-sized fish) is the effect of oil spilt in the river. An ongoing problem which Shell hasn’t bothered to sort out despite enjoying billion dollar profits from Nigerian oil. Meanwhile our cheerful early retiree relaxes in his boat with a beer, catching an abundance of large fish which he releases back into the water; his freezer is fully stocked with supermarket bought fish.
Oil is a finite resource which will only last for around 40 more years. Nevertheless, the oil business is set to gain enormously if we keep consuming rapidly rather than looking for alternative ways to power our world. You can’t help but cringe when the camera catches one Shell employee describing the moment you strike oil, “you can smell it straight away and it smells so much like money it’s delicious.”
The film highlights the vested interest that world leaders (particularly in America) have in oil. Why are American cities designed so it’s impossible to get around without a car? Why was investment in electric cars scrapped? Why where railway lines across the US torn up?
My favourite bit of the film was annoying wind farm woman. So determined not to have a wind-farm built where it might spoil her view that she rallied a team of equally annoying cohorts to oppose the turbines. When asked why she didn’t want the wind-farm she responded ‘this is one of the least windy parts of the country’. Cue film-makers gleefully cutting to an earlier scene where she raises concerns that it will be too windy to put up their protest air balloon.
After the wind-farm is rejected by the local council she is asked whether she thinks climate change is an important issue, “Yes of course it is; it has to be the most important issue we face. I try to do my bit.”
The film left me feeling awed by how huge the problem we face is. But also inspired that my efforts to be green do make a difference. It’s frustrating that whilst less than 1% of scientists doubt that climate change is a result of human activity, 60% of the general public STILL think climate change could just be a big myth. It’s time we all worked together, many hands make light work.
Find out more about the film...
Tour Series professional cycle race comes to Peterborough
Yesterday saw Peterborough city centre become bike-ville. It was all about cycling with a smoothie bike (pedal and squeeze fresh organe juice), old fashioned bike display, local amateur cycle group races, and a kids BMX track all crammed into Bridge street and the Cathedral Grounds. 
At 4pm members of the public were allowed a go on the professional race course, before the professionals took over at 7pm. It was a really exciting evening and there was definitely a buzz in the city.
Let's hope the tour series comes to Peterborough again next year. Well-done to Opportunity Peterborough and Peterborough City Council for arranging it all!
At 4pm members of the public were allowed a go on the professional race course, before the professionals took over at 7pm. It was a really exciting evening and there was definitely a buzz in the city.Let's hope the tour series comes to Peterborough again next year. Well-done to Opportunity Peterborough and Peterborough City Council for arranging it all!
The pictures show: Janine and Ben from PECT get ready for the lap of the route. Janine pulls Nyree round the course in the PECT trailer before they swap over and Nyree pulls Janine. The Tour series stage where the winners were presented their trophies. The Finishing line!
Green Festival features in the ET
Today sees the last Green Festival Feature in the ET after a two week celebrating of all things green in the pages of our favourite local paper!
To check them all out visit www.peterboroughtoday/green
Some of my favourites include Peterborough's cycling heroes, and the get swish by swapping new clothes
Here are a few of the city's green godesses getting ready for the pic down at Green Backyard on London Road (community gardens next to the Apex flats - open on Wednesdays and Sundays).
The pictures show: Jenna from Peterborough City Council (with green wellies) and Hannah Gray (missing half her head) from the ET. Charlotte Palmer from Peterborough City Council. Sophie Antonelli from thr Green Backyard.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Janine and Karen from PECT meet Sir David Attenborough
Two members of the team from Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) went along to meet Sir David Attenborough at his book signing in Waterstones. His visit coincided perfectly with the Green Festival as reported in the Evening Telegraph recently...Janine and Karen spent the hour in the queue thinking up a good question to ask Sir David, but when they finally reached him they were a bit star struck and didn't ask anything!
(Above) Here they are having their picture taken with Britain's best-known natural history film-maker...
...and Janine having her book signed with the lovely Anna from Waterstones, Bridge Street, (the lady who arranged the signing) in the background.
Green Fetsival 2009 Grand Finale Summer Party hosted by Riverford Organic Veg
Riverford Organic Vegetables and Sacrewell Farm Visitors Centre open their gates for the Grand Finale of the Green Festival 2009
Sunday June 7th marks the last day of this years’ Green Festival, and also falls upon National Open Farm Sunday. To celebrate this there will be no admission fee to Sacrewell Farm and Country Centre.
This is the first time Sacrewell Farm and Riverford have joined forces to welcome the public to a vegetable-themed summer party on Sunday 7th June from 10am-4.00pm at Sacrewell Lodge Farm, Thornhaugh. Entry is free.
There will be plenty to enjoy for the whole family, including some unique vegetable themed athletics! Have a go at squash putting, Riverford’s version of the shot put. Try your luck on the vegetable shy – you might find certain vegetables are harder to knock over than the more traditional coconut!
Win prizes on the fruit hoopla and play Riverford’s mystery veg, guess the weight and how many potatoes in the sack competition. Line up for welly wanging and compete in the organic tomato and spoon race.
For something a little less energetic, the Sacrewell Visitor centre will be running many other activities, including tractor rides, pony grooming, animal feeding and cream teas in the old mill garden.
“The Green Festival this year has been fantastic, and we are delighted to be able to host the grand finale summer party,” said Mark Moody, Marketing Coordinator of Riverford. “We hope everyone will get stuck into the vegetable athletics and have a great day out.”
Open Farm Sunday is an event held across the UK, and aims to raise awareness of farming alongside nature to produce environmentally friendly food. This event also gives the public the opportunity to experience and learn about farming practices. Sacrewell Farm and Riverford are hoping that people who have not visited the farm before will take advantage of the free open day and come along to see everything they have to offer.
Gates open from 10am – 4pm, the visitor centre and shop will be open as usual and there will be a BBQ serving food along with the Stables restaurant.
Please call 0845 367 1159 or email summerparty@riverford.co.uk to book your free places, giving details of how many people are coming. Booking is not essential but will help Riverford make sure there are enough sausages for everyone!
Sunday June 7th marks the last day of this years’ Green Festival, and also falls upon National Open Farm Sunday. To celebrate this there will be no admission fee to Sacrewell Farm and Country Centre.
This is the first time Sacrewell Farm and Riverford have joined forces to welcome the public to a vegetable-themed summer party on Sunday 7th June from 10am-4.00pm at Sacrewell Lodge Farm, Thornhaugh. Entry is free.
There will be plenty to enjoy for the whole family, including some unique vegetable themed athletics! Have a go at squash putting, Riverford’s version of the shot put. Try your luck on the vegetable shy – you might find certain vegetables are harder to knock over than the more traditional coconut!Win prizes on the fruit hoopla and play Riverford’s mystery veg, guess the weight and how many potatoes in the sack competition. Line up for welly wanging and compete in the organic tomato and spoon race.
For something a little less energetic, the Sacrewell Visitor centre will be running many other activities, including tractor rides, pony grooming, animal feeding and cream teas in the old mill garden.
“The Green Festival this year has been fantastic, and we are delighted to be able to host the grand finale summer party,” said Mark Moody, Marketing Coordinator of Riverford. “We hope everyone will get stuck into the vegetable athletics and have a great day out.”
Open Farm Sunday is an event held across the UK, and aims to raise awareness of farming alongside nature to produce environmentally friendly food. This event also gives the public the opportunity to experience and learn about farming practices. Sacrewell Farm and Riverford are hoping that people who have not visited the farm before will take advantage of the free open day and come along to see everything they have to offer.Gates open from 10am – 4pm, the visitor centre and shop will be open as usual and there will be a BBQ serving food along with the Stables restaurant.
Please call 0845 367 1159 or email summerparty@riverford.co.uk to book your free places, giving details of how many people are coming. Booking is not essential but will help Riverford make sure there are enough sausages for everyone!
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
I swish, you swish, we all swish, hurrah!
I have just been to my first swish...and it was amazing!!!The Green Fetsival is in full swing now - we are a whole 4 days in!! The launch was a super fantastical sucess and tonight we held our Swish. (Find out more about the Green Fetsival at www.pect.org.uk/greenfestival)
For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about a swish is a posh clothes swap for ladies. It involves wine, nibbles and lots of clothes on rails just waiting to be swapped and given a new lease of life by someone else!
The environmental benefits of swishing include that it's about reuse rather than buy, buy, buy. The other benefit is that it's a fun free way to a new wardrobe.
Read more about swishing here.
Anyway, I am very excited because I picked up some amazing items at the swish. I took six items (two bags, three skirts and a jacket) and picked up two new items that I love.
I was also very pleased that an old favourite that I unfortunately no longer fit into (lovely brown jacket) found a good home with Nicola Francis from Travel Choice!
The two items I got were a beautiful new dress (long story but it belonged to a colleague of mine and I have been covetting it for a year now, I thought someone else had swished it out from under my nose but my Mum did a proper 'mum search' of the rails and found it hiding!) and some ace new summer jeans...See pic - sorry it's a bit rubbish I took it on my phone.
Some thanks...to Sue Donnelly of Accentuate (fab style consultant) for being our compare for the evening, to ESP magazine for getting on board, to Cargo for lending us the mirrors, to swap-a-frock for buying the wine, to Sue Ryder vintage and retro shop for lending us the rails, to Peterborough museum and art gallery for the venue, to Riverford Organic Vegetables for the delicious snacks, to Lush for the freebies, to the Peterborough Evening Telegraph for covering the event and brining along some great clothes to swap, to Waitrose for lending us the wine glasses, to H&M for lending us the hangers, to Futerra for coming up with the concept of swishing, and finally, to everyone who attended the event!
I hope this has inspired you to hold your own swish - find out more here...
The Evening Telegraph...
The ET is doing a green themed feature for every day of the Green Festival 2009!
There is some really interesting stuff, and it's all been put together by our favourite features writer, Hannah Gray - we love you Hannah!
Check out the first two below and check www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk for the latest ones.
Cooking your greens...
Green Godesses!
There is some really interesting stuff, and it's all been put together by our favourite features writer, Hannah Gray - we love you Hannah!
Check out the first two below and check www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk for the latest ones.
Cooking your greens...
Green Godesses!
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Green Festival booklet available…
The booklet, which includes full listings of all the family friendly events and activities taking place during the fortnight long Festival, can be picked up from a variety of locations including: Libraries, Tourist Information, Peterborough Museum and Queensgate.
Organised by Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT), the Festival has a food theme this year – ‘Grow It, Cook It, Eat It. There will be events held from Saturday 23rd May – Sunday 7th June across the City including a Chop ‘n’ Chat hosted by Riverford Organic Vegetables, Green Backyard growing days, fun nature trails, a cycle the Green Wheel event, an eco-supermarket sweep at Tesco in Hampton, an Gorgeous and Green fashion show at Queensgate, and a frock swap, as well as lots more.
The food theme is an important one for the City, with recent figures showing high levels of childhood obesity and younger mortality rates due to poor diets.
Janine Starling from PECT explains, “This year the Festival is all about being a little healthier, saving money and caring for the environment. Growing and eating your own food is not only good exercise and good fun, but it also means you spend less in the supermarkets and it’s really satisfying sitting down for a meal you have grown yourself.
“The Festival launch on Saturday 23rd May in the City Centre will see the streets transformed into hubs to get people learning about growing, cooking and eating food. There will be garden experts form Garden Answers magazine on hand to provide advice, chefs from Riverford Organic Vegetables doing cooking demonstrations and the chance to plant your own seeds and take them home with you.”
Peterborough Primary Care Trust are supporting the Green Festival 2009, Nazia Hasan from the organisation said, “We are delighted to be supporting the Green Festival this year because healthy eating and living are such important issues for Peterborough in order to maintain a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle”
The Festival kicks off with the launch event on Saturday 23rd May in the City Centre, followed by a fortnight of events around Peterborough. All launch day activities run from 10am-4pm, and are free and ideal for families.
Full details of the event can also be found by visiting: www.pect.org.uk/greenfestival The website also features hints and tips on growing your own food, greening your wardrobe and gardening in small spaces.
Organised by Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT), the Festival has a food theme this year – ‘Grow It, Cook It, Eat It. There will be events held from Saturday 23rd May – Sunday 7th June across the City including a Chop ‘n’ Chat hosted by Riverford Organic Vegetables, Green Backyard growing days, fun nature trails, a cycle the Green Wheel event, an eco-supermarket sweep at Tesco in Hampton, an Gorgeous and Green fashion show at Queensgate, and a frock swap, as well as lots more.
The food theme is an important one for the City, with recent figures showing high levels of childhood obesity and younger mortality rates due to poor diets.
Janine Starling from PECT explains, “This year the Festival is all about being a little healthier, saving money and caring for the environment. Growing and eating your own food is not only good exercise and good fun, but it also means you spend less in the supermarkets and it’s really satisfying sitting down for a meal you have grown yourself.
“The Festival launch on Saturday 23rd May in the City Centre will see the streets transformed into hubs to get people learning about growing, cooking and eating food. There will be garden experts form Garden Answers magazine on hand to provide advice, chefs from Riverford Organic Vegetables doing cooking demonstrations and the chance to plant your own seeds and take them home with you.”
Peterborough Primary Care Trust are supporting the Green Festival 2009, Nazia Hasan from the organisation said, “We are delighted to be supporting the Green Festival this year because healthy eating and living are such important issues for Peterborough in order to maintain a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle”
The Festival kicks off with the launch event on Saturday 23rd May in the City Centre, followed by a fortnight of events around Peterborough. All launch day activities run from 10am-4pm, and are free and ideal for families.
Full details of the event can also be found by visiting: www.pect.org.uk/greenfestival The website also features hints and tips on growing your own food, greening your wardrobe and gardening in small spaces.
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